LEGO® Bits N’ Bricks

Conspiracies, Fans, and LEGO® Designers: Inside the Disappearance of the LEGO Goat Jun 15, 2023

This is a story about a very particular LEGO creation, the people who designed, sculpted and mass produced it, the fans who came to love it, the designers who tried to bring it back, and the conspiracies that today swirl around its mysterious disappearance. For questions and comments, please write to bitsnbricks@lego.com.

Why LEGO® Bricks Stick Jun 15, 2023

The original LEGO bricks didn’t stick together. How and why that changed offers deep insight into the very core of the now 90-year-old toymaker. For questions and comments, please write to bitsnbricks@lego.com.

Sustainability and the Everlasting LEGO® Brick Jun 15, 2023

LEGO bricks can last generations. Here’s how the company makes sure they never land in a landfill and other ways its working on environmental sustainability. For questions and comments, please write to bitsnbricks@lego.com.

Creating beehives, stunning art, and a prosthetic limb with LEGO® toys Jun 15, 2023

Chatting with the talented creators behind a LEGO brick-compatible prosthetic, amazing, often Afrofuturistic sculptures, and a working beehive made of LEGO bricks. For questions and comments, please write to bitsnbricks@lego.com.

Demogorgons, Frogs, and Car Parts: Inside the Creation of LEGO® Botanicals Jun 15, 2023

The blossoming success of the LEGO Botanical Collection started years before they hit stores thanks to the popularity of two employee creations that took over the company’s offices. For questions and comments, please write to bitsnbricks@lego.com.

Season 06 Trailer Jun 15, 2023

Season 06 Trailer.

The Tale of LEGO® Bricktales Oct 24, 2022

LEGO Bricktales is a game born in a bathtub of LEGO DUPLO® bricks, inspired by Nintendo’s own Captain Toad, and created by a team behind a game played by one in every 100 people on Earth. The story of LEGO Bricktales is one of childhood friendships, big gambles, and unexpected success. For questions and comments, please write to bitsnbricks@lego.com.

A Journey Into the Real LEGO® City Aug 31, 2022

Discover how The LEGO Group are injecting creativity and imagination into daily life in Billund, the birthplace of The LEGO brick.

The LEGO Group’s Playful 90th Aug 10, 2022

In the lead-up to the LEGO Group’s 90th anniversary this month, we journey to the company’s home in Billund, Denmark to talk with some of its eclectic employees about how they create the future of play, informed by the past.

The Rise of BrickLink Feb 02, 2022

As the LEGO Group retires the fan version of LEGO® Digital Designer and transitions to official support of BrickLink Studio, we examine the history of both digital brick designers and how their histories came together.

Postscript Dec 29, 2021

The final episode of 2021, after a year of celebrating the rich history of LEGO® video games. Stay tuned for more episodes in 2022.

25 Years of LEGO® Lessons Dec 22, 2021

As the Bits N’ Bricks one-year celebration of LEGO Games’ 25th anniversary wraps up, we examine what lessons we learned, speak with some of those behind the podcast, and talk to LEGO Games thinkers about its future.

Creating Worlds with LEGO® Bricks Dec 15, 2021

LEGO Worlds was a slow-burning success, the byproduct of the LEGO Group’s innate desire to make its own Minecraft™, empowered with lessons learned from LEGO Universe and LEGO City Undercover.

The LEGO Game That Unlocked True Digital Creation Dec 08, 2021

Perhaps the most important video game ever made for the LEGO Group was almost more tool than plaything. Over its nearly 25-year lifespan, LEGO Creator evolved from an early ‘90s masterpiece to the LEGO Digital Designer, used in crafting toys, games, and movies.

How a Soccer Net Almost Killed Football Mania Dec 01, 2021

The LEGO Group’s dip into creating a sports video game almost ended at the net. A look into the early history of Football Mania.

When Forza Cars Met LEGO Bricks Nov 24, 2021

The 2019 collaboration between Microsoft’s Forza Horizon and LEGO® Speed Champions started at a car show in Detroit and includes a fun little bit of fictional backstory.

Alligators, Buckaroo Banzai, and LEGO Studios Backlot Nov 17, 2021

LEGO Studios Backlot is a hidden gem that sparked creativity in the children who played it and opened their eyes to the joy of exploration.

LEGO® Harry Potter™ – A Journey Through All Eight Films Nov 10, 2021

The LEGO Harry Potter video games reshaped the way LEGO action-adventure games are made and played.

Tiny LEGO Brick Towers, Big LEGO Brick Ideas Nov 03, 2021

LEGO Tower wasn’t just a brickified take on smash hit Tiny Tower. It was an evolution of both that delightful game and LEGO Games’ approach to mobile games as a whole.

The Surreal History of the LEGO Galidor TV Show, Game Console, and Action Figure Oct 13, 2021

How a LEGO game console, sci-fi TV show, and trip to another dimension gave birth to the beloved LEGO toy flop Galidor.

DUPLO® World, Create & Cruise, and LEGO Games for Pre-K Oct 06, 2021

Why the LEGO Group decided to create games for preschoolers and how it continued its focus on empowering children while doing so.

Return of the LEGO® Star Wars™ Battles Sep 29, 2021

How a meeting alongside an English motorway kicked off a three-year journey for LEGO Star Wars™ Battles.

Holy Game Development, LEGO Batman Sep 22, 2021

LEGO Batman wasn’t just one of the LEGO Group’s most popular video games and most visited topics, he also arguably had one of the biggest impacts on TT Games’ long history of brickified game making.

Nexo Knights and the Big Bang Theory Sep 15, 2021

While LEGO Nexo Knights was a massive transmedia property that spanned television, books, magazines, toys, and even an amusement park ride, it was the video game that held the property together and fueled its success.

The Life (and Legacy) of George Sep 08, 2021

Inside the birth of Life of George and how a flat, LEGO brick puzzle game sparked a reexamination of the role digital experiences can play in the physical toy business.

Prototype, Playtest, Repeat: Inside Light Brick Studio Sep 01, 2021

An intense weekly playtesting schedule is at the heart of Light Brick Studio’s follow-up to the award-winning puzzler LEGO® Builder’s Journey.

The Legacy of LEGO® Legacy: Heroes Unboxed Aug 25, 2021

LEGO® Legacy: Heroes Unboxed isn’t just a snappy LEGO minifig take on action role-playing games, it’s also a nostalgia-filled examination of the diminutive LEGO figure’s roughly 40-year history.

Junkbot: The Lovable LEGO® Garbage Game Aug 18, 2021

Nearly two decades before LEGO® Builder’s Journey had players assembling their way through brick levels, the trash eating, side-eyed Junkbot inspired digital LEGO brick creativity.

The Fans, Devs, and Remake of Real-Time Strategy Classic LEGO® Rock Raiders Jul 14, 2021

As we wrap up season two of LEGO® Bits N’ Bricks, we dig into the creation of real-time strategy game LEGO Rock Raiders and its tremendous fanbase who work to ensure new players get a chance to try the original and are even creating modern remakes.

Roblox Meets Minecraft™ in China’s LEGO® Cube Jul 07, 2021

LEGO Cube may be the LEGO Group’s most ambitious title to date, delivering a fully realized LEGO brick world to users who can create and share their own content in a mobile-first game. It may also never be released outside of China.

Rocket Racer, Veronica Voltage and the Legend of LEGO® Racers Jun 30, 2021

The first LEGO® video game to hit consoles outside of Japan was born of one man’s idea of allowing children to build LEGO brick cars and then race them around a track. This week’s episode dives into the three-year development of 1999's classic LEGO Racers.

Myth, Maori, and a Brain Tumor: The BIONICLE® Saga Jun 23, 2021

From Boneheads of Voodoo Island to a Star Wars™--meets-Pokémon inspired transmedia mega hit: The metamorphosis of BIONICLE contains multitudes of fascinating stories and challenges including the tale of the franchise’s first retail video game and its failed sequel.

Inside LEGO® City Undercover: From Segway® to Zombie Hordes Jun 16, 2021

Considered by many to be one of the LEGO Group and TT Game’s best titles, LEGO® City Undercover is a masterpiece packed with referential humor, hidden jokes, and not a few fascinating developer stories. Joins us as we dig into its creation and many hidden gems.

LEGO® Loco: The LEGO Group’s Take on SimCity Jun 09, 2021

The story behind second-wave LEGO video game LEGO Loco and how it drew deep inspiration from SimCity and Will Wright’s theories around digital toys and playful experiences.

LEGO® Marvel and the Missing Spider-Stan Song Jun 02, 2021

A deep dive into the making of LEGO® Marvel Super Heroes, one of the top-selling LEGO video games, unearths a wealth of interesting secrets. For instance, did you know Stan Lee actually sang for the game? How about the hidden appearance of EGO the Living Planet and the nod to an old Konami game? Tune in, true believers, for that and more during this week’s episode of Bits N’ Bricks.

Birth of a LEGO® Brawls-er May 26, 2021

LEGO Brawls was born as a fun run mobile game, but a little bit of Nintendo inspiration transformed it into a sort of LEGO-themed Super Smash Bros. brawler. In this episode, developer Red Games Co. walks us through the evolution, success, and long tail of LEGO Brawls.

May the Fourth Be With You May 05, 2021

From brickifying emotional movie death scenes to the creation of the LEGO® Star Wars™ Pooper Trooper, Lucasfilm Games doesn’t just hand over its beloved properties, it also makes sure they’re handled properly. In this special May the 4th episode, we chat with two of the many Lucasfilm Games folks responsible for ensuring the sanctity of the Lucas creations while still allowing for TT Games’ beloved sense of humor.

To Be Continued Apr 14, 2021

In the season finale, some of the Bits N’ Bricks team unite to discuss the making of the season’s episodes, their favorite stories, and where the show is headed after season one. A 2-minute quick read and a written transcript of the entire episode is available at https://www.lego.com/legogames-25-subpage.

A Fabled History Apr 07, 2021

In this episode of Bits N’ Bricks, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent chat with Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, former CEO and grandson of the founder of the LEGO Group, and Jørgen Vig Knudstorp, executive chairman of LEGO Brand Group. The two discuss the company’s long and fascinating history with video games and digital play.

LEGO® Video Games and Digital Play Mar 31, 2021

In this episode of Bits N’ Bricks, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent chat about the 25th Anniversary of the first LEGO video game with LEGO Group CEO Niels B. Christiansen, chief product and marketing officer Julia Goldin, and vice president of LEGO Games Sean McEvoy. The three discuss the path forward for the company in an increasingly digital world.

Darwin Mar 24, 2021

In this episode of Bits N’ Bricks, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent unearth the almost forgotten work of the LEGO Group’s early work in digital efforts at its Strategic Product Unit Darwin.

LEGO® Overwatch®: A Conversation Mar 17, 2021

In this episode of Bits N’ Bricks, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent speak with Blizzard Entertainment and the LEGO Group about how the LEGO® Overwatch® theme sets came to be and the impact video games and the LEGO brand have on one another.

LEGO® VIDIYO™: A Conversation Mar 10, 2021

In this episode of Bits N’ Bricks, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent speak with the LEGO Group’s Julia Goldin and Will Thorogood about the new LEGO® VIDIYO™ sets.

LEGO® Universe: Death of a Dream Mar 03, 2021

In this second of a two-episode Bits N’ Bricks special, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent trace the bumpy launch and eventual death of the LEGO Group’s first massively multiplayer online game: LEGO® Universe.

LEGO® Universe Soundtrack: A Conversation Feb 24, 2021

In this episode of Bits N’ Bricks, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent speak with Richard Dekkard and Brian Tyler about their work on the LEGO® Universe soundtrack and the news of its remastering and first release on streaming platforms.

LEGO® Universe: Birth of an Idea Feb 17, 2021

In this first of a two-episode Bits N’ Bricks special, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent trace the early roots and pre-production of the LEGO Group’s first massively multiplayer online game: LEGO® Universe.

LEGO® Sonic Mania™: A Conversation Feb 10, 2021

In this episode of Bits N’ Bricks, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent speak with the fan creator, SEGA®, and the LEGO Group about the recently announced Sonic Mania™ Green Hill Zone LEGO® set.

TT Games Feb 03, 2021

In this episode of Bits N’ Bricks, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent speak with the founders of TT Games about the formative years for the studio, the creation of its popular LEGO® Star Wars™ games, and what’s to come for the group.

LEGO® Minifigures: A Conversation Jan 27, 2021

In this special “conversation” episode of Bits N’ Bricks, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent speak with Tara Wike about how the beloved LEGO® minifigure evolved in digital form and how those video game creations helped to influence the physical figures.

LEGO® Friends: A Conversation Jan 20, 2021

In this special “conversation” episode of Bits N’ Bricks, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent speak with Elena Catón about her early research for the LEGO Group into the way girls interact with computer software and games, and how that led to the creation of the forgotten 1999 classic computer game LEGO® Friends.

LEGO® Builder’s Journey Jan 13, 2021

In this episode of Bits N’ Bricks, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent trace the inception of LEGO® Builder’s Journey and how its unusual development led to the creation of spin-off studio Light Brick Studio, which was funded by LEGO Ventures.

Unity Jan 06, 2021

In this episode of Bits N’ Bricks, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent trace the evolution of the LEGO Group’s work to empower fans’ efforts in the digital arena from the decades-ago release of LEGO® Digital Designer to the recent unveiling of the Unity LEGO Microgame creation system.

LEGO® Island Dec 30, 2020

In this episode of Bits N’ Bricks, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent explore the creation, context, and impact of LEGO Island. Published in 1997, the open-world computer game may not have been the first LEGO® video game, but it was possibly the most impactful.

Holiday Special Dec 23, 2020

In this special holiday episode of Bits N’ Bricks, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent have a spoiler-filled chat with Ken Cunningham about his work directing this year’s LEGO® Star Wars Holiday Special. The three discuss the evolution of LEGO movies and how LEGO video games have helped to shape the way the bricks and minifigures are perceived and given voice in movies.

Fluid Play Dec 16, 2020

In this episode of Bits N’ Bricks, documentarian Ethan Vincent and journalist Brian Crecente explore the birth and evolution of the LEGO Group’s efforts to cohesively combine physical and digital play. The two trace the company’s efforts from the never-released smart toy DUPLO® Circus based on the LEGO® KidPad technology platform, through to the work in one reality creations like Life of George and Fusion, to finally the release of fluid play concepts Hidden Side and LEGO® Super Mario.

Minecraft Dec 09, 2020

In this episode of Bits N’ Bricks, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent unearth new details about never-before publicly discussed LEGO® brick themed Minecraft game: Brickcraft. The episode dives into the details of the early relationship between the LEGO Group and Mojang, why the game was eventually scuttled, and the LEGO Group’s early efforts in trying to create an open world sandbox game made of LEGO bricks.

Introduction Nov 26, 2020

Get to know the Bits N’ Bricks podcast with this introduction by journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent.

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